Grisanti advocates for funding to support developmentally disabled

by jmaloni

Press release

Tue, Mar 5th 2013 08:55 am

Buffalo
legislator urges Senate to fully restore across-the-board-cut of $120
million in state funding

New
York State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-I-60, a member of the Senate finance
committee, asked his colleagues in the Senate Tuesday to fully
restore approximately $120 million in proposed cuts in funding that
supports and services people with developmental disabilities.

Grisanti
said he and Senate finance chairman John DeFrancisco believe full
restoration of the funding will support New York's most vulnerable
residents.

"As
part of the ongoing budget process, I am urging the Senate to
advocate for the use of the resources identified in the negotiations
we have had with the Assembly and Gov. Cuomo," Grisanti said.
"This includes $200 million in revenues identified by the
Consensus Economic and Revenue Forecast Report, as well as any
consensus spending re-estimates, rejections of new proposed spending
initiatives and other available resources."

Grisanti
has recently met with constituents who are concerned with the
proposed budget cuts that will impact the operation of the Office for
People with Developmental Disabilities.

"I
have heard from the parents, families and individuals with these
disabilities who are currently being provided with support and
services as well as a number of the over 12,500 employees of the
agencies who assist people with developmental disabilities here in
Western New York and the Finger Lakes region," he said. "Their
message to me is that a 6 percent cut across the board is simply not
manageable."

Grisanti
said previous budget reductions have already impacted New York state
residents who either have developmental disabilities or work in that
field.

"As
a result of reductions in funding that have been imposed every year
since 2009, services have already been sharply cut and the proposed
cut this year will force agencies to lay off direct support staff and
close or sharply reduce critical programs that people with
developmental disabilities and their families rely upon," he
said. "These cuts can adversely impact the health, safety and
quality of life of some of the most vulnerable among us. I have been
asked to do everything in my power to restore this funding as part of
the budget process and therefore will bring the concerns of Western
New York residents to my legislative colleagues in Albany."

Grisanti
currently represents the 60th Senate District, which includes parts
of the City of Buffalo, the north towns and the south towns. Grisanti
is chairman of the environmental conservation committee and currently
sits on the finance, cities, cultural affairs, tourism, parks and
recreation, higher education, infrastructure and capital investment,
insurance, labor and veterans, homeland security and military affairs
committees in the Senate.